


There is nothing for me but to love you

by rachlovesligers



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 23:52:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3747826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachlovesligers/pseuds/rachlovesligers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve takes Peggy out on a date in New York City.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There is nothing for me but to love you

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to "You’ve got to do some dancing to get in the mood" (which was a sequel to "A kiss won’t mean goodbye").  
> It's set during Agent Carter, except Steve was found in the ice not long after he crashed and now he and Peggy both live in New York.

Peggy was lying in bed on her front, covered with only a sheet when Steve finally remembered his excitement over taking her out on a date in New York City. Since Steve had been found alive in the Arctic they’d spent almost every day together, but that time had mostly involved staying in bed, or on the sofa, or in the bath, or various other locations. They made the occasional venture down to the diner but hadn’t got round to having an official ‘date’. Steve was sat up in bed next to her, his blonde hair was slightly askew and he still had a little pinkness on the tops of his cheeks, and in the soft afternoon light he looked positively angelic. He seemed to be enjoying her appearance just the same, because he stroked her hair gently away from her face with a dreamy look in his eyes.

“Hey, do you remember our first real date? The one in France?” he asked her.

“I do, why do you ask?” she replied, looking up at him.

“Didn’t I promise to take you to my favourite restaurant and then dancing at La Martinique nightclub after?”

“I believe you did, although it’s not entirely necessary.”

Steve moved down the bed so he was lying next to her, and wrapped an arm around her waist, “I promised you a date and I intend to keep that promise.”

A grin spread across her face, “Oh, if you insist.”

“I do,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her softly.

..............

Steve had insisted on getting ready separately so he could arrive to pick her up from the Griffith and escort her to the restaurant. Peggy had felt it was a little unnecessary considering they practically lived together, but Steve was intent on ‘doing everything properly’, so she’d rolled her eyes and decided to humour him.

However, when the night finally arrived and she entered the lobby to meet Steve, the look on his face made her think he might have had the right idea. She was wearing her best dress, a gold floor-length gown, off the shoulders and extremely low cut, complete with her finest jewellery, while her hair and make-up was perfectly done in her most flattering style, pin-curls and red lipstick. The look of awe on Steve’s face as his eyes took in her whole outfit made her heart pound, and for a few moments his mouth opened and closed as he attempted to form words. As she walked towards him and took his hand he seemed to pull himself together.

“Peggy, you look incredible.”

Her breath caught and she pulled him around a corner, away from any prying eyes, so she could kiss him properly. When they usually kissed Steve’s hands always ended up tangled in her hair, but tonight he seemed wary of messing it up so instead his hand rested lightly against her head, barely touching her. As though to make up for the loss of contact his other arm was tightly wrapped around her waist, and when Peggy had finished kissing him she pulled away to look at him and took in his outfit properly for the first time. He had on a lovely blue tie that brought out his eyes, matched with his dress trousers and a light shirt that suited his skin tone perfectly. His hair, of course, was parted and combed neatly, and the combination of it all with his plump lips, still a little red from kissing her, made him even more handsome than usual.

“You’re beautiful, Steve,” she told him softly, and he kissed her gently in response. As they continued kissing she began to untuck his shirt.

“No, Peggy, I want to do this properly,” Steve protested.

She slipped her hand underneath his shirt and ran it along the skin just above his waistband, trailing it around his side. “Is this not doing it properly?” she asked, feigning innocence.

“You know it’s not,” he murmured as his breath stuttered. His eyes were half lidded and he looked adorably dishevelled. Peggy knew it wouldn’t take much convincing to take him to bed early, but she knew how excited he’d been about taking her out.

“Oh alright,” she sighed. She tucked his shirt back into his trousers for him, while he covered her face with soft kisses.

..............

They took a cab to the restaurant and it felt an awful lot like the first time they’d ever had a conversation alone, albeit under much different circumstances. Steve was gazing out the window absentmindedly, but over the past few months Peggy had grown accustomed to a certain level of intimacy thanks to Steve’s affections, so she reached for his hand.

“I don’t suppose you’re going to start pointing out all the alleyways you got beaten up in?” she teased.

“As a matter of fact I got beat up right behind that library,” he smiled as he pointed it out to her. She laughed and he leaned in to nuzzle her cheek, “I had to find some way to talk to you, you were pretty intimidating and that was the first thing that sprung to mind.”

“Intimidating?” she tutted, “only because you held me in such high regard.”

“I still do,” he murmured in her ear.

As they arrived at the restaurant Peggy felt a twinge of panic as she realised it was a more casual establishment than she’d been expecting, which in all honesty she preferred, it was much more ‘them’, but considering how formally she was dressed she felt a little self-conscious.

Steve spotted her unease, “Is this alright? We can find somewhere else if –”

“No! This looks wonderful, I just feel a little overdressed, that’s all.”

Steve wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, “you’re perfect,” he whispered softly.

The walked over to the brightly lit building and the warmth that radiated from it felt extremely welcoming as they entered through the door under the neon sign. The atmosphere inside gave the impression of a lively establishment, bustling with customers eating and talking freely, but as they were led further back the noise gave way to a slightly emptier section, which Peggy was grateful for. They were seated in a quiet corner at a table covered with a cream tablecloth, it was small but the simple vase containing a single red rose placed next to the condiments added a pleasant touch. Under the table Peggy wrapped her leg around Steve’s, though it was slightly difficult with her floor-length dress, while he reached out to take her hand and played with her fingers until the waitress came to take their order.

Their food arrived quickly and it didn’t take long for Peggy to understand Steve’s passion for the unassuming restaurant. The simple meals were cooked and flavoured perfectly, a rarity in Peggy’s life as she’d never been one for cooking. She glanced at Steve’s plate to see him already two-thirds into his meal, but as he was eating his fork accidentally flicked a piece of beef across the table. It hit Peggy’s chest and bounced onto the floor, and she tried to stifle her laughter as she looked up to see the panic on his face.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to – that was an accident, is your dress –” he was cut off by the piece of chicken that came hurling towards his chin, courtesy of Peggy.

“Two can play at this game,” she said playfully.

“Oh it’s on,” he said, tearing off a piece of his bread roll and throwing it towards her. It bounced off her shoulder as she ducked, and she quickly lobbed a small potato directly at his chest in return.

They had exchanged a few more hits before they were interrupted by someone loudly clearing their throat, “If you continue to throw around food like children, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Steve apologised profusely in his most sincere ‘Captain America’ voice while Peggy attempted to hold in her laughter. After the waitress had left it was a struggle to keep their laughter at a reasonable level, so they hurriedly finished their food and asked for the bill, leaving a generous tip for the trouble.

..............

Since it was a pleasantly warm evening they decided to take a walk around Brooklyn before heading over to the nightclub, and they walked hand in hand as Steve pointed out some of the places he remembered from his childhood. He was practically bouncing with excitement as he showed her the church he was christened in, the park he used to play baseball in as a kid, the movie theatre he and Bucky had snuck into to watch the cartoons. His tour of course included a few more locations he’d been beaten up in. She watched the way his face lit up as he told her stories of his mother taking him on picnics when he was young, of her patching up his wounds after he’d gotten into a fight. The love Peggy felt for him overwhelmed her as she watched his excitement at sharing his childhood with her, bringing her even more into his world. She could feel she was grinning ridiculously at him but she couldn’t help herself.

He seemed to notice her gaze. “What is it?”

Peggy couldn’t quite form the right words to explain what she was feeling, so she simply pulled him towards her by the collar and kissed him passionately.

..............

The arrived at La Martinique nightclub after a short cab ride and found it bustling with people dressed in their finest attire. The main hall was extremely grand and beautifully decorated, flower arrangements lined the room which was warmly lit by the combination of chandeliers and gold table lamps. The atmosphere was one of excitement, a joy that seemed to encompass everyone present, they were not long out of the war and the sense of celebration was still fresh. As the big band music filled the room women were dipped and lifted enthusiastically across the dancefloor.

They made their way through the lively dancers to find a spot that wasn’t too crowded and turned towards each other. Steve’s arm wrapped around Peggy’s waist while hers rested on his shoulder, and they began to move around the dancefloor with ease.

“You’ve improved,” Peggy commented.

“I practiced a lot after you taught me, and I asked the commandos for some tips. I wanted to impress you if we ever got the chance to do it again,” he looked down, appearing slightly embarrassed.

“That’s very thoughtful,” Peggy smiled as she tilted his chin towards her and kissed him. Her fingers found their way into his hair and his arm was tightening around her waist. His other hand moved to her neck while his thumb ran along her jawline softly, and Peggy had to pull away to remind herself of where they were.

As they danced Steve whispered “I love you” in her ear, it was something he said to her quite frequently now, but it still sent a thrill through her whole body. When he’d first told her, she’d been completely unprepared. She’d been talking to him about something inconsequential while in Belgium during the war, and he’d blurted it out. It had taken her a while to muster up the courage to say it back, but when she finally did Steve’s entire face had lit up and he’d wrapped her up in a hug so tight her feet lifted off the ground. It had made her wonder what she’d been so hesitant about.

As they continued making their way around the dancefloor Peggy became increasingly conscious of how closely their bodies were pressed together, how warm Steve’s hand felt on her waist, and how soft his lips looked. He seemed to be having similar thoughts because without much warning he cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss that was so soft and gentle, it surprised her when his tongue pushed into her mouth. The taste of his lips made something deep in her stomach stir, and her hand moved to the back of Steve’s head where her fingers scratched his scalp, making him groan into her mouth. His hand at her waist was slowly moving down her body, whether intentionally or not, and Peggy felt excitement building inside her. His other hand was at her neck, and he played with her earlobe in a way that made the muscles in her stomach tighten. In response her teeth tugged at his lower lip and she could feel how unsteady his breathing was. She was just about to run her hand over his pert behind when someone knocked into them and she suddenly remembered where they were. The pinkness rising in Steve’s cheeks made it clear he had forgotten their surroundings as well.

“Sorry, ma’am, we weren’t paying attention,” Steve apologised for them.

“No, no, it was my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” the woman smiled as she walked away.

After she’d left Steve rested his forehead against Peggy’s. “I forgot we weren’t…, forgot where we…” he was breathing heavily.

“Forgot we were in public?”

He nodded and pulled away, “I should go and get us some drinks.” His eyes were still lit up and his lips slightly swollen.

“Yes, that’s probably best,” she agreed, trying to get her own breathing under control.

Peggy left the dancefloor as she attempted to pull herself together. She found a quiet corner to wait for Steve and checked her appearance in her compact mirror. As she reapplied her lipstick her eyes glanced over the room, she was a natural at applying lipstick without a mirror by now, she’d managed to last an entire fortnight during the war without one, but she jumped when she spotted a familiar figure on the other side of the room. As Agent Thompson turned his head she ducked down to hide behind an empty table, he was with a few other men from the office and they made enough comments about her being ‘Cap’s girl’ as it was, seeing her out dancing with Steve would likely result in months of ridicule and snide comments.

Steve found her a few minutes later, still hiding, partially covered by the tablecloth. He placed the drinks on a nearby table and knelt down beside her, “What are you doing?” he asked quietly, as his eyes glanced around the room.

“I’ve just seen Agent Thompson with a few other men from work.”

“Why don’t we go and say hi to them? I’ve got a few things I’d like to say to Thompson.”

“No. I’d prefer it if they didn’t see me here, and I’d prefer you not to say a thing to Thompson.”

“I don’t have to say anything to him to get my point across.”

Peggy knew exactly what Steve was thinking of doing, she’d let slip some of the things Thompson had said to her, and he was painfully aware of her current role as coffee server and lunch collector. As satisfying as it would be to see Thompson floored by one punch, starting a fight in the middle of a popular nightclub was not the way she intended to spend her evening. “You’ll do nothing of the sort,” she told him sternly.

“Do you want to leave?” Steve asked, he tried to hide his disappointment at the suggestion, but he’d never been good at hiding his feelings from her.

“Of course not my darling,” she said, touching his cheek gently. “We’ll just try to avoid them.”

They stood up and headed back over to the dancefloor where they resumed their dance, albeit with a little more space between them than before. Peggy positioned Steve so his figure was blocking her from Thompson’s view, and they awkwardly moved around the room with her frequently ducking her head to Steve’s chest in order to hide her face.

Peggy was just beginning to feel a little less uneasy, when someone tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry to disturb the two of you, but –” as Peggy pulled away from Steve to face the blonde woman addressing her, the woman froze in shock. “Oh gosh, Molly you were right, it is him!” she said loudly, as her friend came running up behind her.

“I told her you were Captain America! She didn’t believe me, but it’s really you! Can I get an autograph?” the second woman shrieked excitedly, rummaging in her bag until she produced a handkerchief and a pencil.

“Sure, no problem,” Steve smiled, though it was his stage smile and Peggy could tell it was a mask.

“Me too!” a third girl appeared behind them, brandishing a notebook, “and one for my little brother, he loves the comics!”

Steve kept his smile in place and signed their belongings gracefully, asking them politely about how their evenings were going and brushing off their compliments. His audience seemed completely oblivious to Peggy standing next to him.

“I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse me, but I’d like to get back to my date,” Steve said in a far more polite tone than Peggy could’ve managed, and the girls reluctantly left them alone.

He turned back to Peggy, “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault, I knew what I was getting in to when I started dating the famous Captain America!” she teased.

He laughed as he leant down to press kisses along her exposed shoulder and up her neck, until someone tapped him on the shoulder. She heard Steve groan ever so quietly as he pulled away from her, the look of annoyance on his face lasted for a split second before his Captain America smile was back on. He turned to face the short man standing behind him.

“Sorry to bother you, but I work for the press and it would make the club look great if I could get a photograph of Captain America in here,” the man said, gesturing to the camera in his hand.

“Look, I’d love to help you out but I’m not really here on official Captain America business, I’m not sure if I should be –”

“It’ll only take a second! You can have your beautiful dame in the picture too.”

“He said no,” Peggy interrupted, stepping forward.

“But I –”

“No,” she repeated in her most threatening tone, and the man scurried away.

Steve wrapped his arms around Peggy and buried his face in her neck, she heard a muffled “thank you” from him as she tightened her arms around his waist.

“Shall we go home?” she asked him quietly.

Steve hesitated for a moment, but a whispered “it’s Captain America” from somewhere nearby was enough to help him decide. He nodded and Peggy took him by the hand and led him out of the club.

..............

They decided to go back to Steve’s apartment because it wouldn’t involve climbing up any drainpipes to get in, and they would likely have a little more privacy than at the Griffith. When they were safely alone in his apartment Peggy realised how dejected Steve looked, she hadn’t thought the evening had gone terribly bad.

She put her hand under his chin and turned his face to look at her, “what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

His shoulders slumped as he relented, “I just wanted tonight to be perfect. I was so excited, I thought if I showed you Brooklyn and took you to my favourite restaurant and then to a fancy nightclub you’d be impressed, it was going to be amazing, we were going to spend the whole night dancing.”

“Steve, you don’t need to worry about impressing me, you impressed me the moment you jumped on that grenade at Camp Lehigh and everything since has only added to my opinion of you. We did all the things you’d planned but you can’t expect everything to be perfect, just because tonight didn’t go exactly according to plan doesn’t mean it wasn’t a wonderful evening. As for spending the whole night dancing,” she took his hand and pulled him over to the wireless, turning it on, “the night’s still young.”

He smiled genuinely at that and wrapped her up in his arms as they swayed to the soft music.

“Besides, every night feels perfect when I’m with you,” she said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Steve stopped still for a moment, and as she looked up at him he leaned down to kiss her deeply. It was a kiss that made her heart race and she could feel Steve’s passion behind it as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stroked his thumb across her cheek. When they pulled apart the look on his face surprised her, he looked close to tears but not from sadness, he seemed in awe and it reminded her of how she’d felt earlier that evening when he’d been showing her around Brooklyn, _his_ Brooklyn.

“Let’s get married,” Steve said softly, as though it was the simplest thing.

She started laughing from the shock of his unexpected statement, “you can’t be serious!”

“Why not? We’re deeply in love with each other and I can’t imagine ever wanting to dance with anyone but you. I think we wasted enough time during the war being coy about our feelings, and I don’t intend to hold back anymore. We had a job to do then, but now that it’s over I want to make it clear how strongly I feel for you.” He put his hand to her cheek and looked at her with an intensity that made her breathless. “Peggy Carter, if it’s what you want, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Peggy tucked her head under his chin to hide the blush in her cheeks while she contemplated his offer. It wasn’t a bad idea, and she couldn’t say the thought of marrying Steve had never crossed her mind, but it had always been just a passing daydream. She imagined walking down an aisle to meet Steve dressed in his best suit, he’d most likely have tears in his eyes, she thought of committing to spending the rest of her life with him, of building a future with him. She had expected to feel daunted by the idea, but instead it seemed natural, and from that she knew her answer.

“Oh alright,” she rolled her eyes at him.

“Really?” Steve’s face lit up with the most excitement she’d ever seen.

“Yes really,” she grinned and he scooped her up in his arms and spun her enthusiastically. She was laughing as he set her back on her feet, covering her face in kisses.

“I’ll get you a ring, I promise,” he said between kisses.

“I don’t need a ring.”

“I want to do this properly.”

“Must you insist on doing everything ‘properly’,” she laughed.

“Yes,” he chuckled. They were both giddy with happiness as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her again. Peggy was more prepared this time and she wrapped her legs tightly around him and pulled his lips to hers, kissing him with more passion than she’d ever thought herself possible of.

“Are you still set on dancing all night?” she asked breathlessly.

“I can be flexible.”

She laughed at the unintentional double meaning of his words before she whispered in his ear, “then take me to bed Steve,” and his smile was overwhelmingly beautiful as he carried her to his room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the people who asked me to write this sequel, it's so encouraging to know people want to read more of my writing!  
> Please let me know what you think, and feel free to suggest any more Steve & Peggy ideas.
> 
> The title is from "The Way You Look Tonight" because that scene in Agent Carter killed me and I need to associate some happy steggy things with this song.
> 
> My tumblr is http://rachlovesligers.tumblr.com/ for anyone who's interested.


End file.
